Officials say one person died and eight were wounded in two separate shootings after Birmingham’s Magic City Classic.
BIRMINGHAM, AL — City officials said Sunday that the gunfire near Legion Field after the Magic City Classic involved two separate shootings that left one person dead and eight others wounded, adding new details to an investigation that initially appeared to involve a single shooting scene.
Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin said the first shooting happened outside the perimeter of Legion Field more than an hour after the football game ended Saturday. Six people were shot in that incident. A second shooting occurred less than eight minutes later across the street from the stadium in the Graymont Avenue area, where food vendors had been operating, officials said.
The shootings left nine people with gunshot wounds in all. Birmingham Fire and Rescue Chief Cory Moon said the person who died was pronounced dead at the scene. Seven people were taken to a hospital, with two listed in critical condition and five in stable condition during the city’s Sunday briefing. Officials have not publicly identified the person who died or the other victims.
Police have a 17-year-old in custody on a 48-hour felony hold, Woodfin said. The teenager was found with a firearm equipped with a Glock conversion device, commonly called a switch, according to city officials. Authorities stressed that investigators believe more than one suspect may be involved. No final determination about the teenager’s role in either shooting had been publicly announced Sunday.
The violence began shortly after 7:50 p.m. Saturday in the area of Graymont Avenue near Legion Field. Police responding to the scene found multiple people suffering from gunshot wounds and recovered several firearms. Officers detained one person and took that individual to police headquarters for questioning as investigators worked through the large scene.
Police initially reported one victim in critical condition and seven others in stable condition. The later briefing provided an updated medical picture, with fire officials saying two victims were in critical condition and five hospitalized victims were stable. Officials did not immediately explain the change in the reported conditions.
Woodfin said the shootings happened after most spectators and families had left the stadium and emphasized that investigators had not tied the violence to the Magic City Classic itself. The annual rivalry game between Alabama A&M University and Alabama State University had concluded earlier Saturday, with Alabama A&M winning 31-28.
After the gunfire, Birmingham police suspended remaining Magic City Classic tailgating activities and directed people to leave the stadium property. Police also asked anyone with video recorded around the shooting scenes to provide it to investigators. Authorities have not publicly announced a motive or released a complete account of what led to either confrontation.
City officials said more than 50 people received treatment during the broader emergency response, though that figure was not limited to people who had been shot. The confirmed gunfire toll remained one person dead and eight wounded. Police Chief Michael Pickett and other officials said the investigation remained active as detectives worked to determine how the two shootings unfolded and whether the incidents were connected.
Authorities had not announced formal charges or identified all suspected participants as of Sunday. Investigators continued reviewing evidence, including recovered firearms and video from the area, while seeking information about others who may have been involved.
Author note: Last updated November 1, 2026.